Timing is everything and I was fortunate to find Dan
From Tangles Salon here in Guelph to help me transform the Blake hairpiece by Jon Renau. From an earlier post where I showed her in her original form you might know that she comes out of the box straight and unlayered – one long cascading piece of hair.
Maybe that would suit the occasional woman – just like that – but for most of us we look better with some layering around the face. Otherwise these human hairpieces can have a very “broom” like effect with hair coming down straight.
Let’s take a look back in time at the Blake when she arrived.
Looking Broomish..hard to get off the face as well..This might work though for some women as is. After washing you would get a lot more volume up top.
hanging in my face! She is great for bang cutting. I think I will be doing that! NO I DID NOT..Glad I didn’t now.. If I had a bunch to play around with I’d like to try that. You could do “whatever” with this hairpiece.
Here is a nice shot of it in the living room in natural lighting. It looks more ash. In the pic above it looks more yellow – Golden. It’s true color is something in between I’d say.
This is with natural lighting no flash
Dan gave the hairpiece a very sophisticated precision layering styling. In the business of hair his skills as an artist were very apparent as I watched as he sliced layers into the hair . I stood while he cut into the hair. Dan has cut many hairpieces over the years and understands. It is important to find a stylist I think who has had experience period – but to find an excellent stylist with experience in cutting hairpieces is harder. I am always amazed watching a good stylist at work. It is indeed a “transformation” and I think as women we don’t appreciate enough the art that goes into styling.
Here is me in this very lovely salon in Guelph with the master after the cut.
Me after the amazing layering into the Blake
One thing I didn’t know was that to get body around the crown with hairpieces you cut the underlayers up as opposed to the top layer. Dan lifted the top layers and cut some underlayering to give it lift. Before it clung to my head and I felt like as I said in the blog before like I had a little “pea” head. Not much of the long length was taken off the back and while I had thought about bangs we left it in a very long sweeping side layering coming down. Here are the pictures from the salon right after the cut.
Such a pretty salon. I’m very happy with the way this hairpiece was styled.
There is nothing like layers coming into the face on a long wig. You need a good hairdresser. I was fortunate to get the BEST
We turned the hair upside down and just shook it wildly to give it some lift. Dan explained after washing there would be more lift after I hung it upside down. I left the salon happy and fortunate.
Now came the washing and styling of this new hairpiece at home. Let me just say it was “an experience” from this point on. Unfamiliar with human hairpieces to a large extent and unsure of what might happen it seemed like my worst fears were coming to “light” from past experiences. In the water the hair immediately went into a wave pattern. Tons of brown darkish fluid escaped from the hairpiece. I washed her carefully with Argan shampoo and then sprayed Argan oil starting from the middle and working it into the bottom. I hung her upside down to dry, brushing her out occasionally.
Blake when washed turns into a unruly beast meant best to be tamed carefully. I panicked at the dryness in the morning. The ends were a frizzy kind of mess. I tried not to panic and to remember everything I had personally read online about human hairpieces. Oil them – flat iron them – curl them. Basically you have to condition the hell of them. I think the key though in the end is the flat iron. You must have the patience to flat iron them out. The following pictures are after flat ironing them and then putting a soft curl into the end. The next set will be after barrel curling a bit more.
Lots of beautiful body.
Did the Blake meet my expectations? In the end so far I am pleased. It is different for me to have human hair cascading down my shoulders.
12Fs8
This look is quite nice so “au natural”. I like the way Dan made it shorter up front and then longer at the back.
It really did puff up at the top after the first wash. That was the good news!
Note the color difference though subtle from this pic to the end pictures where it is curled. There is a brassiness that did not suit me that I had to deal with. Just this subtle change made me feel much better
After first wash. It’s shorter at front longer at back
Colorwise – I’m not sure this is my “color”. The 12fs8 in human hair is darker and a little more brassy then in heat defiant selections. In acrylic selections it is more ashy and less yellow or golden. You are at a big advantage being a brunette in the wig business. That hair is far less processed so tends to be a lot smoother and nicer. But us blondes unless we want to pay HUGE amounts for European naturally blonde hair that hasn’t been processed are kind of stuck with this cycle of really conditioning and flat ironing the hair. You still have to do that to some extent with all colors. I recommend colorwise to do the “natural” colors or “exclusive” colors from Renau as you can lighten the hairpieces or add lowlights. I took a cue from a youtube video on another Renau hairpiece and used a toner to get rid of some of the brassiness. So back in the water it was and back to washing. This time I did a bit more blowdrying as I was anxious to see it right away. Instead of using argon oil I found a Dove product – a conditioning cream that you leave in. It worked really nicely. It didn’t get greasy just calmed the frizziness. I’ll take a picture of that product tomorrow. It worked well. Jon Renau has it’s own Argon Shampoo however and conditioner for their wigs. I didn’t use them but they have great products for the hair which I have used before (detangling spray and conditioning spray for acrylics and heat defiant wigs)
I think I would always want to pin it up for volume at the top and to make it feel less “wild”. I’ve always had fine hair so this is an adjustment to see this hair so full around my head. I used to wear my hair in a bun but that is an almost impossible look to achieve I think with wigs without them looking “wiggy” as you can’t really pull back from the sides. It’s unfortunate. Maybe someday technology will advance so there is some kind of “system” where you can pull it up from the sides. I know there are these all around the face lace systems but them seem to be fraught with disadvantages or problems. The temple to temple lace is the best we have to keep these hairpieces secure on our heads.
Beautiful length and beautiful volume – great cap size and comfort
There is nothing like the feel and movement of real hair – despite being higher upkeep – it really is a nice hair alternative. The hand-tied nature of the Blake is lovely.
If you really wanted you could get even more volume from this hairpiece from the sides. There is a lot of hair here.
For a young person undergoing hairloss this is a lovely wig. I am in my fifties but I still love long hair. It is harder but I think it is so feminine when done right. Curls are nice if you are older I think to soften the “look”
Being hand tied the hair does flow lovely and surprisingly for so much hair this hairpiece feels quite light on your head. Would I recommend this hairpiece? Definetly a great luxury in your collection .
looking wild and free after second wash – this Is it conditioned – straight ironed and then curled
I would have to say the cap is nice and tight. Very comfortable on the head. It doesn’t feel heavy despite it’s massive look.
And some quotes. I have been somewhat addicted to Gossip Girl lately. It’s quite a crazy series. Good fun. This wig has obviously been named after Blake Lively. You could however do a Georgina Sparks or a Blair or a Charlie or a Lola with this wig in different colors. That’s the beauty of this length. Make it what you want.
Even though this is a Blair Waldorf quote the hairpiece is definetly Serena inspired aka Blake Lively
My words of wisdom are a quote from Winston Churchill – simply “NEVER GIVE UP” ..I wanted to cry after seeing the Blake after washing but the truth was she just needed to be “worked”.
I am going to come back and take some pictures of her from the back on my model head. I’m a total blonde trying to hold the camera and take a picture in the mirror. Some good news for the BLOG – my phone is being replaced and I have a new 16MP camera on my new phone. Hopefully that means clearer pictures here for you ladies.
I think Blake is my fantasy going out at night alter ego hairpiece. I’m still going with the Shyla but have re-ordered. After about 35 shampoos and much abuse she is getting worn. NOT THE FIBER though..It’s as good as it ever was. I ordered her in Toasted Sesame this round.
Other hopeful up and comers – Abbey by Envy – Amelia by Envy and maybe Jennifer by Jon Renau – a shorter layered piece which I have seen and liked. Same hair as this Blake.
Check out WOWHAIR my relatively new commercial site. There are lots of good deals there. I’m trying to build up my clientelle and so I’m trying to give the best prices I can. I might have different prices here on the blog. They are paypal prices ..
If you are in the Guelph/Kitchener area check out TANGLES for your custom cutting of hairpieces. I’ve had some good stylists here but this was the best I ever had by far.
Here is the link to Tangles
Tangles Hair Designs in Guelph Ontario
Here are some shots of the wig in natural light with a soft curl
Wig Reviews 